REGARDING the media announcement by the Prime Minister Scott Morrison on Wednesday regarding teachers needing to return to the classroom lest our children's education suffer irreparably ('Morrison wants to see more students return to school', Newcastle Herald 16/4), my interpretation of this speech is that its aims are twofold.
First, I think it is intended as a guilt trip for teachers, appealing to their love and passion for their calling, and secondly to dog-whistle to a community struggling to make sense of our situation. I see it as our PM abrogating his duty as a leader to make a decision about the closure of schools and putting that responsibility on teachers. The clear focus to me of this new tack is to shift blame onto teachers for not "choosing" to go into school.
I fear this will draw on the deep well of that tendency for mainstream media to begin to target teachers and their unions so the government escapes that responsibility to make a clear decision. It's a shameful attempt at divisive politicking, in my opinion.
Dr Phillipa Parsons, Charlestown
FOR WHOM DOES PELL TOIL
ACCORDING to the American political theorist, Corey Robin, all right wing ideologies have been historical improvisations on a single theme: "the felt experience of having power, seeing it threatened, and trying to win it back." To see this in action, look no further than George Pell's interview with Andrew Bolt.
This pair, two of the main culture warriors in this country, blame the culture wars for Pell's conviction. They blame an ABC vendetta, outrageously funded in part by "Catholic taxes". They blame unseen forces who "used" the complainant for their own malign ends. They blame abuses of power, with an appreciation of what that means only true authoritarians can possess.
It seems to me that Pell hasn't really changed and never will, nor has the Church. Actions speak louder than words. I believe the Pope has been essentially mute throughout the child sexual abuse upheavals. Priests convicted as paedophiles still say mass in the privacy of their homes. Victim compensation is fought tooth and nail. The confessional is given priority over children's safety.
Mixed messages abound. The evidence suggests in my view that the Church is still a closed shop, obsessed with hierarchy, secrecy, male privilege and exceptionalism.
Pell says he will now "go quietly". Don't bet on it. The struggle for power is entering a crucial stage.
Michael Hinchey, New Lambton
DIALS INTO PROUD HISTORY
I WAS surprised and pleased to see my dad and mum, Fred and Beryl Anderson - mentioned in David Dial's article ('The Hunter Remembers World War II', Herald 15/4) yesterday.
My dad kept a secret diary when he was a prisoner of war, which I typed up for him many years ago, and the diary is in the War Museum in Canberra. We have taken the grandchildren there to see it. I was five years old when I first saw my father, when he came home. Mr Dial does a wonderful job with his military history.
Gillian Young, Pelican
DRAW A LINE NEAR THE SAND
IS there a special category for the people who continually walk the Bathers Way, Merewether and Bar Beach areas shoulder to shoulder ('Free way', Herald 13/4)?
I am sure a centre line could be marked and like other areas, police (or similar) could control the number of people using this space.
Also board riders in their dozens can surf as close as they wish to each other without penalty, yet a senior who I saw swimming approximately two metres from shore was called in by police and given a warning for not adhering to the beach closed sign.
The rest of us must keep the 1.5-metre distance (which I am happy to do) at chemists, supermarkets and any other retail outlet. The government and local councils are doing a great job, let us help them to help us at this critical time.
Lynette Delaney, Swansea
BLAME GAME ONLY INFLAMES
IN a global pandemic there is always the hunt for blame. President Trump was unapologetic when referring to the "Chinese virus" and there is still much more intent on pointing an accusatory finger of blame than embracing a team effort focussed on recovery.
Africans living in Guangzhou in southern China report being harassed and victimized by locals in xenophobic outrage. Anti-Muslim attacks, also driven by fear of the spread of COVID-19, are breaking out across India.
Gun stores in America are unable to keep up with the demand for their lethal wares. States in Australia are closing their borders to other states and, closer to home, residents of our city are demanding fellow residents stay in their own suburb.
We are a society and part of a community and we cannot live in isolation indefinitely. The challenges before us are real and substantial. There remain weeks, and perhaps months, before quarantining and social distancing restrictions might be relaxed. If ever there was a time for clear thinking and common purpose it is now. However, I fear that distraction and point-scoring are more appealing to some.
John Buckley, Floraville
SHOW WHAT SPACE CAN DO
THE current situation has highlighted to me that Newcastle council needs to do better to help develop good physical and mental health of its residents.
Newcastle needs public toilets with soap dispensers that are serviced regularly. The new toilet block at Nobbys beach has two outdoor cold tap hand basins with no soap dispensers. It is adjacent to the beach cafe. Scientific research has shown that washing hands well with soap greatly reduces the risk of disease transmission.
Newcastle also needs more parks, gardens and tree-lined streets. This would allow more people to benefit physically and mentally from walking and running among green spaces.
As Newcastle is being "revitalised" by the council and the state government, planning for new small and large green public facilities can occur. Old facilities could also be improved.
Newcastle is lucky to have a large showground area that could be enhanced to increase residents' regular use of green space. Scientific research has shown people are healthier if their lives involve regular time with plants.
Considering the physical and mental health of residents would help Newcastle council achieve its aspiration of creating a modern, lovable city.
Susan Poulter, Newcastle
LETTER OF THE WEEK
THE pen goes to Dr Michael Walton, of Lambton, for his letter regarding attacks on frontline workers.
SHARE YOUR OPINION
Email letters@newcastleherald.com.au or send a text message to 0427 154 176 (include name and suburb). Letters should be fewer than 200 words. Short Takes should be fewer than 50 words. Correspondence may be edited and reproduced in any form.
SHORT TAKES
REGARDING Joan Lambert (Short Takes, 14/4), my opinion is that Deputy NSW Premier John Barilaro has it topsy turvey and that NSW is central to rugby league, and it's actually rugby league that needs NSW back.
Bryn Roberts, New Lambton
I ENDORSE John Fear's statement of a need to see the numbers (Letters, 13/4). The only times the Newcastle tram might be near full in my opinion would be about 8am and 5pm. Depending on the specialty of the day, there could be half a dozen trips during the day with carriages half full. I travelled (before coronavirus) almost daily into town from Wickham and observed that the carriages had no more than three to five passengers and more often than not they were empty. I believe the train driver would have to be seeing more than double to see 4000 people a day on the tram. Let's see the numbers, Keolis Downer.
Pat Garnet, Wickham
CONCERNING Cardinal Pell, Peter Gogarty ("Acquittal's bitter message to abuse victims", Opinion 15/4) says we must accept the decision of the High Court, that to do otherwise would be to undermine the institution that keeps Australians largely free from injustice. I agree. The High Court found "a significant possibility that an innocent person has been convicted", and it was a unanimous decision.
Peter Dolan, Lambton
WORLD War III is upon us. I believe the 75 million estimated deaths in World War II will be unfortunately surpassed by this devastating ongoing pandemic that is unfolding around the globe. A lot of questions have to be asked as to why this has occurred, how it has unfolded, when did this actually start and who is ultimately responsible for this catastrophic, life-changing atrocity. There is only one man who will find out in my view, and his name is Donald Trump.
Brad Hill, Singleton
OUTSIDE Nobbys public toilets City of Newcastle supplies cold water and no soap.
Victor Carroll, Merewether
ANDREW Bolt and George Pell are "birds of a feather" in my opinion, they are both deniers. Bolt, a stolen generation denier, even told us the stolen generation was all a myth. Pell is the Cardinal who told us that Australia was not Ireland in relation to the sexual abuse of children in Australia. May I say how wrong he was? As the old saying goes, "silent gives consent." I rest my case.
Richard Ryan, Summerland Point
I NOTICED over Easter there were no Sydney people and no litter. Funny that.
Steve Barnett, Fingal Bay
I THANK Steve Barnett (Short Takes, 16/4) for informing us that it's the Labor states that are serious about protecting us from the virus. While Labor Western Australia jails COVID clowns and quarantines cruise ship passengers, Liberal NSW has let the same wander all over the country and the world. It has then tried to blame others, and when cornered suddenly talks about sharing the blame. I reckon it shows we have COVID clowns here too.
